Staff members built the structure for the Gingerbread Challenge this weekend

Reporter-Herald staff

Posted:
11/30/2012 06:01:11 PM MST

A team of staff members turned their typing fingers into creative constructors, making a building that many mistook for the White House instead of our downtown office. At least until the walls were adorned and Santa had landed thanks to Pamela Dickman, Jessica Benes, Jessica Maher, Shelley Widhalm and Chuck Willett.

Day 1

The RH gingerbread team met at my house for two hours after work Wednesday to bake and cut the gingerbread pieces. On Monday, we had shopped for the ingredients that we didn't already have in our kitchens, such as molasses and powdered sugar.

For starters, the molasses smell was a bit strong as we started mixing, but assembling large amounts of ingredients proved a bit more entertaining. We used an electric hand mixer to mix the gingerbread, but after a half-hour or so, there was a burning smell and the mixer was hot, so we moved on to hand mixing.

My favorite part was cutting the gingerbread pieces using the paper stencils Jessica Benes had designed. I liked the precision of drawing the lines and the feel of cutting into the dough. I also liked seeing the finished pieces fresh out of the oven with the brown edges.

Zoey, my dog, watched from the couch, likely wondering why so many people were in the kitchen and not paying attention to her. After everyone left, she begged for a taste, but she did not get anything except for what fell to the floor.

My apartment smelled like gingerbread heaven all night.

--Shelley Widhalm

Day 2

I followed the recipe exactly: 3 egg whites and 3.5 cups of powdered sugar.

So why is the frosting -- the edible glue needed to hold our building together at the seams -- dripping out of the frosting bag?

Think like Macguyver. Could we gum it together with jelly candy? Or just throw the recipe out and add powdered sugar until it thickens into cement? Several layers of sugar on my clothing later, the edible paste is ready for action.

The newly stick-ified sweet adobe worked perfectly to hold together the pieces of the Gingerbread Reporter-Herald, the miniature sleigh for Santa and his load of newspapers, the tiny mailbox to capture the wishes of tots.

Just wait until we get the decorations on; our mini news office will be unmistakable!

--Pamela Dickman

Day 3

Decorating time. We had a few ideas for our edible Reporter-Herald building -- a sleigh sitting on the roof; a snowman and candy cane Christmas tree sidled up to the east end; the "Letters to Santa" mailbox made out of who-knows-what glued to the front.

And then we took creative license. The real building doesn't have gumdrops nestled on its roof or cornices made out of licorice peel-n-pull strings. Our windows aren't edged in candy canes or pretzel sticks. And the paper boy statue in front of the real building is facing east instead of west.

Our six lights kept falling off and I smudged the writing on the Santa mailbox.

But that didn't matter when we finally finished shingling the west end, placed a newspaper in the sleigh -- Santa definitely reads the Reporter-Herald -- and slathered icing everywhere that seemed appropriate.

--Jessica Benes

Here's hoping our concoction will hold up through the contest and maybe even throughout the holiday season. The smiles we shared as we created our first gingerbread structure, the laughter, the holiday joy will carry on long after the cookie crumbles.

To reach any of the reporters, call 669-5050. Follow them on Twitter: @JessicaBenes, @PamelaLittleBee, @ShelleyWidhalm.

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